1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to extraction cleaners. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a portable extraction cleaner that is adapted to be hand carried by a user to carpeted areas of cleaning relatively small areas, such as small rugs and upholstery. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a portable extraction cleaner that is easy to use. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a portable extraction cleaner having a clean air extraction system with improved noise reduction. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a portable extraction cleaner with drop-in clean solution and recovery tanks for ease of operation and servicing. In yet another of its aspects, the invention relates to a portable extraction cleaner with an improved electric cord management. In yet another of its aspects, the invention relates to a well-balanced portable extraction cleaner that is easy to hand carry from place to place by a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable extraction cleaners are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,828 to Blase et al., issued Mar. 27, 1990, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,860 to Crouser et al., issued Aug. 29, 2000, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,362 to Huffman, issued Sep. 1, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,017 to Barnes et al., issued Apr. 7, 1998. Each of these extractions cleaners has a canister housing that is adapted to be carried by a user for cleaning relatively small areas of a floor or upholstery surface. The size of these cleaners is particularly suitable for cleaning stairs, for example, as well as small soiled areas of carpet. Each of these cleaners has a cleaning solution delivery system to apply cleaning solution to a surface to be cleaned and a fluid recovery system for recovering soiled cleaning solution from the surface to be cleaned both of which include a hose that is attached to the canister housing at one end and to a cleaning tool at another end.
These cleaners are also powered by electricity supplied by an electric cord. The storage of the hose and the electrical cord when the cleaner is not in use has always presented a problem.
The canister housings have also been molded of a colored plastic material that can be colorful. However, any color may appeal to one customer and not to another. Due to the limitation of shelf space and inventory control, it has not been thought to make these cleaners in many different colors.
Further, the small footprint and portability of these machines have presented challenges in packaging the separate solution and recovery tanks in a way for easy removal and replacement of the tanks in the canister housing. In addition, maintaining a proper weight balance for carrying these small cleaners has also been a challenge, especially in view of the varying amounts of liquid that may be present in the solution and recovery tanks during use of the cleaners.
In addition, the small package coupled with high efficiency motors and impellers result in undesirable noise in the home environment.